Published: Friday, November 30, 2012 at 5:12 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, November 30, 2012 at 5:12 p.m.

He is far from an arch criminal. Scott, who is homeless, admits to more than 700 arrests and citations for ordinance violations: drinking in public, disorderly intoxication and drinking in a city park.

Court records show he is at least in the Top 10.

During the 22 years he has lived life hard on the streets of Sarasota, Scott has encountered all types of police officers. Most have treated him with respect, he said. Some have not.

One of the few who has never cited, arrested or hassled him is Sarasota Police Department officer Derrick Gilbert.

Scott and other homeless people who frequent downtown say they were shocked Thursday to learn that Gilbert had been suspended for slamming a homeless man, Roger Fields, face-first into the ticket kiosk at the bus terminal on Lemon Avenue — a place they know well.

“I don't understand it,” Scott said. “Somebody must have pissed him off. He's actually a decent guy who just does his job.”

City Manager Thomas Barwin ordered an internal affairs investigation immediately after watching a video of the arrest, which occurred last month. Gilbert was suspended with pay pending the outcome of the probe. He did not respond to calls seeking comment for this story.

Scott was enjoying some type of drink in a paper cup on a park bench outside City Hall on Friday afternoon, along with two other homeless people, Cindy Edward and James Franklin, who sat under an umbrella out of the sun. The three were reading news accounts of Fields' arrest and Gilbert's suspension.

Edward said Gilbert knows she faces additional perils because she is a single homeless woman, and that he checks on her frequently and asks if she is OK. She blames Fields for the fracas at the bus station, not the officer.

“He could have been drunk. He could have been belligerent,” Edwards said. “He's the only reason Officer Gilbert was there.”

Franklin and some of the other homeless people avoid the bus station unless it is raining. The smell of diesel and constant rumbling of the buses make it not the most desirable locale, and private security guards working for the county shoo them along if they sit for more than an hour.

Franklin said if Fields would have left the bus depot when ordered to leave by security, police would never have been called.

“If he got up and walked away, everything would have been OK,” he said.

Franklin, who unlike many of the homeless was born and raised in Sarasota, said he knows Gilbert well.

“He went to school with my niece,” he said. “He's a good guy.”

Acting Police Chief Paul Sutton said Friday that Gilbert is an excellent officer with a good reputation.

“He's arrested more than a thousand people in his 15-year career, with only two excessive force complaints,” Sutton said.

Barwin chose Sutton to lead the department until Chief Bernadette DiPino begins in January.

He also chose Sutton to spearhead a City-County Homeless Advisory Task Force, which was announced Friday.

Sutton has more than a decade of experience working toward ending homelessness in Sarasota, having served on the boards of two homeless coalitions and on the advisory board of the Salvation Army.

The new task force will meet every other week for the next three months.

“I hate meetings where you talk and talk about doing something,” Sutton said. “What I like about the 90 days is that we're not going to talk about it forever. We're looking for action steps. I don't want there to be two sides — enforcement and service. There's one side, making a difference in people's lives, which helps the community. When there's smarter people than me sitting at a table, we might figure out a way to do just that.”

<p><em>SARASOTA</em> - Clinton Scott is the self-described “most arrested man in Sarasota.” </p><p>He is far from an arch criminal. Scott, who is homeless, admits to more than 700 arrests and citations for ordinance violations: drinking in public, disorderly intoxication and drinking in a city park. </p><p>Court records show he is at least in the Top 10.</p><p>During the 22 years he has lived life hard on the streets of Sarasota, Scott has encountered all types of police officers. Most have treated him with respect, he said. Some have not. </p><p>One of the few who has never cited, arrested or hassled him is Sarasota Police Department officer Derrick Gilbert.</p><p>Scott and other homeless people who frequent downtown say they were shocked Thursday to learn that Gilbert had been suspended for slamming a homeless man, Roger Fields, face-first into the ticket kiosk at the bus terminal on Lemon Avenue — a place they know well. </p><p>“I don't understand it,” Scott said. “Somebody must have pissed him off. He's actually a decent guy who just does his job.” </p><p>City Manager Thomas Barwin ordered an internal affairs investigation immediately after watching a video of the arrest, which occurred last month. Gilbert was suspended with pay pending the outcome of the probe. He did not respond to calls seeking comment for this story. </p><p>Scott was enjoying some type of drink in a paper cup on a park bench outside City Hall on Friday afternoon, along with two other homeless people, Cindy Edward and James Franklin, who sat under an umbrella out of the sun. The three were reading news accounts of Fields' arrest and Gilbert's suspension. </p><p>Edward said Gilbert knows she faces additional perils because she is a single homeless woman, and that he checks on her frequently and asks if she is OK. She blames Fields for the fracas at the bus station, not the officer.</p><p>“He could have been drunk. He could have been belligerent,” Edwards said. “He's the only reason Officer Gilbert was there.” </p><p>Franklin and some of the other homeless people avoid the bus station unless it is raining. The smell of diesel and constant rumbling of the buses make it not the most desirable locale, and private security guards working for the county shoo them along if they sit for more than an hour. </p><p>Franklin said if Fields would have left the bus depot when ordered to leave by security, police would never have been called. </p><p>“If he got up and walked away, everything would have been OK,” he said. </p><p>Franklin, who unlike many of the homeless was born and raised in Sarasota, said he knows Gilbert well. </p><p>“He went to school with my niece,” he said. “He's a good guy.”</p><p>Acting Police Chief Paul Sutton said Friday that Gilbert is an excellent officer with a good reputation.</p><p>“He's arrested more than a thousand people in his 15-year career, with only two excessive force complaints,” Sutton said.</p><p>Barwin chose Sutton to lead the department until Chief Bernadette DiPino begins in January. </p><p>He also chose Sutton to spearhead a City-County Homeless Advisory Task Force, which was announced Friday. </p><p>Sutton has more than a decade of experience working toward ending homelessness in Sarasota, having served on the boards of two homeless coalitions and on the advisory board of the Salvation Army. </p><p>The new task force will meet every other week for the next three months.</p><p>“I hate meetings where you talk and talk about doing something,” Sutton said. “What I like about the 90 days is that we're not going to talk about it forever. We're looking for action steps. I don't want there to be two sides — enforcement and service. There's one side, making a difference in people's lives, which helps the community. When there's smarter people than me sitting at a table, we might figure out a way to do just that.”</p>